


Each Morning I Get Up I Die a Little

by Error401



Series: In and Out [7]
Category: Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Daryl cares, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, no zombies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-26
Updated: 2013-02-26
Packaged: 2017-12-03 17:26:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/700813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Error401/pseuds/Error401
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A hand caught his bicep, and he tried to pull away, but Daryl had a lot on him in the strength department, could probably beat him to death. If he wanted to. </p><p>“Let go,” Glenn hissed through clenched teeth, resisting his urge to fight. He raised his eyes to meet Daryl’s.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Each Morning I Get Up I Die a Little

**Author's Note:**

> Your comments make me laugh hysterically and get the warm fuzzies all at the same time. I love you guys. Seriously, though.

“Glenn?” Dale called from the other side of the door, knocking gently. “I had some leftovers, so I thought I’d bring some to you.”

Glenn didn’t say anything, staring up at the ceiling from where he lay listlessly on the couch, letting his arm dangle over the side. He felt awful for ignoring his neighbor, but he couldn’t bring himself to get up.

“Are you okay, Glenn?” Dale asked, voice brimming with concern. “Andrea and I haven’t seen you for a while, and we’re starting to get worried.” Dale lived in the apartment next door, and Andrea in the one across the hall. They treated him like a mutually adopted son, and Glenn couldn’t help but respond to the affection with equal amounts of his own. 

Glenn sighed, shifting on the couch and dragging his eyes to his door. He’d quit his job at the diner, and he had no doubt that he was a few more missed days away from being fired from his pizza delivery job. 

“You know, if you’re in trouble, you can always come to me, Glenn,” Dale said more softly. 

Glenn felt his heart squeeze a little at the older man’s words. But he just. Couldn’t. 

He’d tried going to work the next day at the restaurant, but the second he’d pulled into the parking lot, he couldn’t gather enough courage to even step out of his car. So he quit. He had to. And he’d tried carrying on like normal at his pizza gig. If he took enough extra shifts, then he could make up the money in no time. 

But every time he went out for a delivery, he spotted a patrol car following behind. It may have been just a coincidence, but it freaked him out, and he didn’t know if he’d be able to keep doing it. He swallowed, biting down on his lower lip as he considered answering the door, if just to be polite. Dale had been leaving food at his door all week, and he hadn’t touched any of it. But then, he really hadn’t touched much of anything. 

“I…” he started, wincing when his voice scraped against his throat, still tender from having a large, tan hand wrapped around it, “I’m fine, Dale, really,” he called. The least he could do was reassure him that he wasn’t dead, before he called the police or something. With his luck, Shane and Rick would’ve taken the call. 

Dale didn’t answer, and so Glenn assumed that he had given up. He didn’t blame him. Glenn wasn’t very good company lately. Only, he jerked when an explosive fist pounded on the door, dynamite compared to Dale’s nonintrusive tapping. Glenn froze, fear flooding in faster than he could wrap his mind around. Had Shane come to his home? Was he going to do something even worse this time?

“Hey!” Daryl’s voice yelled, irritation clear in his tone. “Get your squinty ass up and come open this door, ‘fore I break it down!”

“Excuse me!” Glenn heard Dale say, affronted. “But just who, exactly, are you?” 

“Mind your own self, grandpa,” Daryl retorted. “Asian kid!”

Glenn could feel his face burning as it turned five shades redder, and he scrambled up from his position, throwing the blanket he’d been hiding under haphazardly across the floor. 

“Glenn, is this man the reason why you’ve been a recluse lately? Should I call the police? Is he harassing you?” Dale asked.

“No!” Glenn shouted, practically wrenching the door off its hinges in an effort to open it. “Ugh…” he blushed, taking in the sight of Daryl and Dale practically glaring at each other, a steaming plate of food in Dale’s hands.

“Where the fuck you been?” Daryl asked, eyeing him skeptically. “Them people at the diner said you quit.”

“You quit your job?” Dale asked. “But what about all the hospital bi—“

“Ugh, Dale, thank you for the food,” Glenn said hurriedly. “Daryl, would you mind waiting inside for a minute?”

Daryl gave him a skeptical glance but shrugged, brushing past Glenn as Glenn turned to talk to Dale. “Dale, I promise I’ll explain everything later, but…” Glenn glanced behind him into his apartment, where Daryl had taken a seat on top of his coffee table, “but just give me tonight, okay?”

“Are you sure?” Dale asked, looking at Daryl with something akin to revulsion. “He doesn’t seem like…”

“He’s a friend,” Glenn offered a smile. “He’s just a little rough around the edges, but he’s a good guy.” Glenn reached to take the plate of food from Dale, because the man looked like he was about to drop it. “Thanks again, for the food,” Glenn nodded. “Tell Andrea she doesn’t need to worry about me, okay? And that goes for you too. I don’t want you guys wasting your time on someone like me.”

“Do you think we can help worrying about you, son?” Dale smiled. “You don’t know the effect you have on people. You bring out the best in everyone you meet. It’s an amazing gift, Glenn.” He sighed, rubbing his hands on the thighs of his khakis. “But you also see the best in everyone, even when they don’t deserve it. Be careful, okay? I’ll be in my apartment if you need me.”

“Sure,” Glenn nodded, a little lost for words. “Thanks again.”

Glenn watched Dale walk down the hallway and into his own apartment, offering the older man a little wave before he closed his door and turned around to face Daryl. 

“Daryl, what…”

“You tryna’ run away from me, or something?” Daryl asked, fiddling with the hem of his plaid shirt. 

“What?” Glenn asked, surprised. “No, I—“

“’Cause if you want me gone, all you gotta do is say the word, not hide like some pansy-ass—“

“Daryl, I’m not trying to hide from you,” Glenn said quickly. 

Daryl grunted, crossing his arms across his chest.

“I was…” Glenn started, combing his mind for an excuse, “I was sick.”

“You was, huh?” Daryl frowned. 

“Yeah, and…you saw what kinda’ people went to the diner. I just didn’t wanna’ have to deal with it anymore, so I quit.” Glenn made a concerted effort not to rub at his neck or pull his shirt collar up higher.

“Hmm,” Daryl said, uncrossing his arms and planting his hands on his hips. “You still sick?”

“A little, maybe,” Glenn shrugged nervously. “I don’t know.”

Daryl’s hand was suddenly in front of his face, and he flinched backwards, nearly tripping over himself in an attempt to avoid it. His breath came out in little gasps, and looked down, embarrassed. “Sorry,” he said. All he had seen was a reaching hand. 

Daryl gave him a considering look. “I was tryin’ to feel your forehead,” he said, lowering his hand slowly. 

“Oh,” Glenn said, rubbing at the back of his neck. “I don’t wanna get you sick, too.” He raised his hand to his mouth and faked a little cough. Whatever worked. 

“That so?” Daryl said blandly, but his eyes were narrowed as he dragged them from Glenn’s bare feet to his face. “Get a new girlfriend?”

“What?” Glenn asked, confused. 

“Your neck’s purple,” Daryl flicked his eyes to the offending area. 

Glenn reached up to slap a hand over his neck, only it didn’t make him feel much better, because all he could think about was the other hand, so he had to let it go. “No, I…It was an accident,” he stuttered. The bruises were tiny, almost nonexistent impressions of fingers. How had Daryl even seen them? Was he looking for them?

“Mhmm,” Daryl said. “Why so jumpy, Chinaman?”

“I’m not jumpy,” Glenn scowled. “And I’m not Chinese!”

“Defensive, too,” Daryl pointed out, stepping closer to Glenn. “You flinch at me, you lyin’ about things, hiding bruises.”

“I don’t want to talk anymore, I’m tired,” Glenn said, walking past Daryl and towards his bedroom, desperate for some breathing space. 

A hand caught his bicep, and he tried to pull away, but Daryl had a lot on him in the strength department, could probably beat him to death. If he wanted to. “Let go,” Glenn hissed through clenched teeth, resisting his urge to fight. He raised his eyes to meet Daryl’s. 

Daryl did.

“Please, I just…” Glenn sighed, suddenly drained of any of the anger he’d felt before. He didn’t really have a right to be angry at Daryl for caring about him. “I don’t wanna’ talk anymore.”

“Remember that story I told you about why I helped you?” Daryl asked.

Glenn nodded slowly. Then realization struck, and he felt all his defenses fall to pieces. He could never stay mad at someone who made that face when he was sad. “You think…no…Daryl, no one’s…”

“She always said that, too. Answerin’ the door with black eyes and smiles. Had to quit her job ‘cause people were askin’ the wrong kinda’ questions. You think I can just let this go? Fuckin’ think again,” he said, eyes burning. 

“Daryl…” Glenn said, rubbing at his face with one hand. “I promise you, no one’s…I’m not…”

“You cain’t even say the word,” Daryl scoffed. 

“No one is abusing me, Daryl,” Glenn said firmly. “I was attacked at my job, and I didn’t feel safe anymore, so I quit. That’s why…my neck…” Glenn swallowed, his fingers slipping from his face to his neck. “But it’s not…that.”

Daryl sniffed and looked away, crossing his arms over his chest again. The tension seemed to melt from the room. “Why you always gettin’ beat on by strangers? It ain’t that fuckin’ hard to mind your own business.”

“Just my sparkling personality, I guess,” Glenn answered wryly, shrugging. 

“I’m teachin’ you some fuckin’ moves,” Daryl grunted. “How the hell you even managed to live this long is beyond me.”

“Good Samaritans,” Glenn smiled, making his way back onto the couch. “I’m just lucky that way.”


End file.
